Ukraine returns five stolen paintings to Dutch museum. PHOTOS

The five paintings were among 24 Dutch Golden Age masterpieces and 70 pieces of silverware stolen from the museum in the northwest Dutch city of Hoorn on Jan. 9, 2005.

"After 4,320 days... yes we counted the days... they are back! Our heritage has returned to the museum where they belong, back in the city where they belong," Westfries Museum director Ad Geerding said.

Five masterpieces were recovered from a "criminal group" in Ukraine after being snatched from the town's museum in 2005.

The museum has now launched a crowdfunding campaign to restore the paintings, as spokeswoman Christa van Hees said they "have suffered a lot" in the past decade and "are in a terrible condition."

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